| Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of adherence to highlyactive antiretroviral therapy (HAART), social support and quality of life in HIV/AIDSpatients in Anhui Province. It could provide valuable information for antiretroviraltherapy and patients management in the future.Methods: Using cluster sampling method, we conducted a cross-sectional study forpatients receiving HAART in Anhui Province. In addition to the existing data, we alsoconducted questionnaire survey to collect information. From the existing data, theinformation of infection and treatment was obtained. From the questionnaire survey, weasked for the information about demographic characteristics, HAART relatedknowledge, questions related adherence, and all the question of social support ratingscale and short form36-item health survey. SPSS11.5database was established, andχ2-test, and logistic regression analysis were used.Results: For the801participants, the average age was44.5±10.9years old,177fromsouth Anhui (22.1%),155from the middle (19.4%) and469from the north (58.6%).389（48.6%）of infections were through paid plasma donation, while361(45.1%) werethrough sex. The average time on ART was5.2±3.2years. The self-reported of ARTadherence rate was97.4%(in the last month). The most reasons of missing doses wereforgetting (53.0%), busy (44.8%) and not at home (12.0%). The univariate analysisshowed that ART adherence was statistically associated with age, education, family size,drinking, and HAART related knowledge (P＜0.05).The multivariate logistic regressionanalysis showed older, and higher HAART related knowledge were protective factors of ART adherence, while drinking and side effects were risk factors. The total scores ofsocial support was30.5±8.3, subjective support was17.6±5.3, objective support was7.2±2.9and social support availability was5.7±2.1. The multivariate logistic regressionanalysis showed farmer, north or south and less family size were protective factors ofsocial support，while unmarriage or divorce, longer years of HIV diagnosis, side effectsand higher WHO type were risk factors.The total scores of quality of life was56.22±20.46. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed higher per capitaincome and drinking were protective factors of quality of life, while older, side effects,higher WHO type and lower social support were risk factors.Conclusion: The ART adherence rate among AIDS patients in Anhui province was high,but the levels of social support and the quality of life were lower than the generalpopulation. Age, drinking, side effects and HAART related knowledge weresignificantly associated with ART adherence. Marriage status, occupation, area, familysize, years of HIV diagnosis, side effects and WHO type were significantly associatedwith social support. Age group, per capita income, drinking, side effects, WHO type andsocial support were significantly associated with quality of life. |
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